Skirt



rTIIIITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS B. DE FOREST, OF BIRMINGHAM. CONNECTICUT.

SKIRT.

Speccation of Letters Patent No. 31,876, dated April 2. 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS B. Dn Fonns'r, of Birmingham, county of NewI-Iaven, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in I-Ioop- Skirts; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making part of this application.

Previous to my invention the following prominent disadvantageousfeatures have existed in hoop skirts as made and worn lstly. Theliability of entanglement of the feet with the lower hoops in walking. This obstacle to the comfort and safety of the wearer is proverbial.

Qndly. The inconveniences arising from having to put on and take offlthe hoop over the head have been a great source of annoyance frequentlyto ladies in dressing.

Srdly. The speedy derangement of the lower hoops and their becoming verysoon dirty has rendered the whole skirt very soon unfit for wear, andthus render it necessary to renew the whole skirt at considerableexpense.

lthly. The tendency of the lower hoop to remain hitched or bent upbehind after sitting has been a great annoyance.

My pres-ent invention has for its object to overcome all thesedisadvantages and thus render the hoop skirt a more desirable, less,dangerous and more economical article of dress; and to these ends myinvention consists in forming the skirt with an opening, or open spacein front (and also behind if necessary) at the base of the skirt toallow the free swing or motion of the wearers feet, without anyliability of oentanglement in walking, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed. And my invention consists further, in making the skirt insuch manner that it can be opened and closed as hereinafter eX- plained,so that the skirt can be put on and taken 0H without passing it over thehead as will be hereinafter described. And my invention consists furtherin making the lower portion of the skirt separate and detachable fromthe other portion, for the purpose of renewing the former as will behereinafter described. And my invention consists further in a peculiarmethod of forming the skirt, by bending the lower hoop, or hoops up thefront as will be presently described so that the lower hoop will alwayshave a. tendency to spring downward behind, into its proper position aswill be fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Figure lis a perspective view and Figs. 2. 3, eL and 5 are each side elevationsof a hoop skirt, the several views illustrating the several features ofmy invention-and to be particularly alluded to hereinafter.

Thesame characters indicates the same part in the different views.

In Fig. l are embraced the first, second and fourth features of myimprovements; in Fig. 2 are seen the first, second and third features;in Fig. 3 is seen the first only; in Fig. Jf is illustrated amodification of first feature, and at Fig. 5 another modification of thesame.

czare the hoops, and I) the vertical bands or supporting strips, theconstruction of each of which parts and the method of connecting the twoforming no part of my inv-ention are shown in the most approved fashion.

A is the open space in front for the feet to pass in and B the spacebehind.

The skirt illustrated at Fig. 5 has an open space formed behind as wellas before, while the other figures show only the space before.

O is the waist band which is made in the usual way.

At Fig. 3 the feet opening, or space A (in front) is formed by .bendingthe bottom hoop a upward, crossing it at and uniting or securing its twoends at 1, 2, to the fourth hoop ffl, the second hoop a? being stoppedoff at 3, 4 and its ends there united to hoop a. as illustrated. In themodification of this first feature of my invention shown at Fig. 4, thelower hoop a. is bent up in the same way but is not crossed as in Fig.3, but simply united at a single point 1, the hoop ai having its twoends united to hoop a at the points 2, 3. d

In Fig. 5 the skirt appears as made with an open space behind as well asone before, that behind however, not being' so large as the one before.

g and z, (see Fig. 1,) are two iaps, or overlapping pieces of cloth, orother suitable material, one provided with buttons, 0, the other withbutton holes,` by which the skirt is fastened or closed around theperson of the wearer, (the waist bands O being fastened as usual). AtFig. 2 another mode of applying this second feature of my invention isshown, consisting in lacing the skirt together down the front with acord z', passing through eyelet holes; in this figure the skirt is notshown as capable of being opened'or separated all the way down (as inFig. 1,) but only down to the detachable lower portion. This latter isformed of four continuous or unbroken circles or hoops with the verticalstrips Z), the whole separate and distinct from the other part of theskirt and, attachable thereto by buttons c or in any other suitablemanner. In the employment of this feature of my invention it may bedeemed advisable to have the skirt open only down to the removablebottom piece, as shown at Fig. 2, since the wearer can readily step intothe lower portion and then close the other part around her, and themaking both portions to open would involve more expense and might renderthe skirt less effective in keeping the dress distended properly.

At Fig. 1 it will be seen that t-he lowest hoop a is bent up to form theopen space A, crossing at the point 1 and continuing in curved line upthe front of the skirt, crosses again at the point 2, and then has itsends united to the waist band. By thus extending the said hoop c up asshown the lowest hoop is converted into a strong spring, the

tendency of which is to constantly descend at the hindmost point, whichtendency always pulls and keeps the other hoops down be# hind, in theirproper position, while the same principle of construction involves atendency to brace the front of the skirt vertical and keep all the hoopsapart and down in front. It will then be understood that by this fourthfeature of my invention the skirt is rendered much more perfect anddesirable, the hoops being always kept apart and pulled down in theirproper places, while at the same time the whole skirt yields readily insitting, and is exceedingly comfortable and it will be understood thatthis spring may be formed by 'bending up more than one hoop as shown.The removable lower portion may be made of more or' less hoops thanshown as may be deemed expedient. It will be seen that by making thelower portion de advantages.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting the first part of myinvention to the formation of the open space before only, or behindonly, nor to the combination of both, but wish to cover the formation ofthe open space in either or both places as may be deemed expedient.Neither do I wish to limit myself to the precise forms or propor-' tionsof detail construction shown; but

Having explained the construction and operation 0f each of the severalfeatures of my invention as I have successfully practiced them, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis- 1. Forming anopen space, or open spaces, to accommodate the feet in walkingsubstantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. Making the skirt to open in front or behind, wholly or partially bycontinuing the bottom hook up to the waist-band, or other desired point,and connecting thereto the ends of the other hoops as hereinbeforedescribed.

3. Making the lower portion of the skirt detachable, or removable fromthe rest at, or near the termination of the open space substantially asand for the purposes described.

4. Forming the lower hoop or hoops into a spring, by bending up, tooperate as, and

for the purpose hereinbefore described.

I n testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and aflixed my sealthis 25th day of February, 1861.

THonAs n. nn ronnsr. [1.. sf]

Vitnesses:

CHS. S. Morsn, L. DE FOREST.

